docs: def thing2place(self, name):
          """Unset a Thing's location, and thus turn it into a Place."""
          self.engine._set_thing_loc(
              self.name, name, None
          )
          if (self.name, name) in self.engine._node_objs:
              thing = self.engine._node_objs[self.name, name]
              place = Place(self, name)
              for port in thing.portals():
                  port.origin = place
              for port in thing.preportals():
                  port.destination = place
              self.engine._node_objs[self.name, name] = place